


Against all Odds

by superredcorp



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/F, Lena Luthor & Jack Spheer Friendship, Lena Luthor Finds Out Kara Danvers is Supergirl, Lena Luthor Needs a Hug, Minor Lena Luthor/Jack Spheer, Protective Kara Danvers, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:56:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29516349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/superredcorp/pseuds/superredcorp
Summary: Alternative title: Not another soulmate AUI know. I know. So many soulmate AUs out there. But I love them, okay? And I've never written one before and I wanted to test it out ^-^
Relationships: Alex Danvers & Kara Danvers, Clark Kent & Lena Luthor, Kara Danvers & Clark Kent, Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 28
Kudos: 473





	Against all Odds

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this post here:  
> https://wired-writing-wallflower.tumblr.com/post/185687295044/prompt
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

Growing up wasn't easy for Lena Luthor. 

While other children her age happily exchanged looks at their soulmate‘s mark and eagerly practiced writing, so they could impress their soulmate with beautiful handwriting (though most of the time they were just scribbles, attempting to look like fancy cursive words), Lena learned the best ways for avoiding questions about her own mark and for applying a band-aid to her hip. 

The place which held the Luthor's biggest shame. 

When Lena was born, her body, more specifically her hip, had already been adorned by quite neat handwriting.

That alone had been something that could be viewed as extraordinary since it meant that her soulmate had to be several years older than her.

Most likely about a decade, actually.

However it didn't stop there. It was strange, really. Instead of normal letters, her skin was tainted by foreign symbols - too precise and patterned to just be random scribbles of a toddler experimenting with a pen.

The best guess would have been that it was a different language. Though the Luthors, with all their wealth and influence, had access to data and information from all around the globe, they couldn't find anything similar. They were irritated by these findings, or more so, the lack thereof.

The only thing they did know was that something was severely wrong and thus, not wanting to attract the wrong kind of attention, urged her to hide her soulmate mark.

Either by making sure Lena was always wearing dresses or shirts that reach below her waist... or by placing a band-aid over it to prevent anyone from seeing it.

Lena learned to be ashamed and feel guilty for her mark very early on.

When the presence of aliens on Earth became clear and Superman made his appearance, things only seemed to get worse. It had become apparent that Lena's soulmate was an alien, more specifically a kryptonian.

This didn't sit right with the Luthors‘ at all. Consequently, they started to grow even more cold towards little Lena who couldn't understand what she had ever done wrong to deserve such treatment from her family.

There was only one time when she felt less alone during her childhood, one person who made her feel seen and hopeful.

Clark Kent, a good friend of her older brother Lex. She had been careless that day, inattentive. Not only had she forgotten to cover her mark, but she also didn't watch her step and ended up tripping, falling face first to the hard floor.

Having always been taught that showing weakness is unacceptable, she bit down on her lip to prevent the tears and pained whimpers from escape.

She was glad that, Lex, and the other Luthors‘ for that matter, weren't around to lecture her in the moment. 

The only one close by was none other than Clark Kent, who had actually just wanted to make his way to the kitchen to grab something to drink.

But upon seeing the incident, he quickly walked over to help the young girl back up.

However, her sweater had slipped up a bit, just enough to reveal the mark on her hip.

Of course he had instantly recognized the symbols, having seen them not only at the Fortress of Solitude but also on the skin of his own soulmate - Lois Lane. 

He didn‘t have time to read and decipher every word, partly because he just hadn‘t had the opportunity to learn the dead language yet and partly because Lena hastily began to cover up her bare skin as she noticed his glance.

At the sight of the girl's flushed cheeks and teary eyes, clearly ashamed, Clark felt his heart sink.

He knew that the Luthors weren't too fond of aliens, he was working with Lex to stop alien threats after all - though at this point, he hadn't developed such an immense hatred for Superman yet, hadn't become sworn enemies with him yet. 

He could only imagine how terrified Lena was at that moment. Hoping to be able to help, he gently put a hand on her tiny shoulder, as he knelt down in front of her to be on eye-level.

"It's alright. You don't need to be embarrassed by this. It's nothing shameful,", he said softly. "And you have nothing to fear. I won't say anything, I promise."

Lena could only look at him with big eyes, a small grateful smile forming on her lips.

After she left, Clark pondered for a moment. 

The fact that another kryptonian would have needed to have survived Krypton's death filled him with hope and excitement.

Someone of his kind might join him soon. But there was also worry. For Lena, for this unknown kryptonian. He didn't even know what exactly he was worried about.

That Lena would grow up miserable, be crushed under the Luthors' disappointment and disapproval?

That she would learn to hate not only the mark, but her soulmate too, for causing her an upbringing full of shame and terror?

That this other kryptonian would find their soulmate only to be met with spite and resentment, possibly longing for revenge? He couldn‘t name it yet, but part of him feared what the future would hold.

* * *

The day Clark found the kryptonian pod with his older cousin, or actually younger cousin now, changed everything.

Suspicions rose quickly inside him, his mind trailing back to the symbols he saw on Lena Luthor's skin a few years prior.

Could this be her? Could Kara be Lena's soulmate?

He was conflicted, wondering what this meant. For the Luthor, for his cousin, for himself. How likely was it that another kryptonian so close to Lena's age would show up on earth? Though, if he was honest with himself, he hoped that it would be another one. He hoped desperately that it wasn't Kara.

Because by now his former friend Lex, Lena's older brother, had shown his true colors, shown how much he hates aliens, especially kryptonians.

And Clark didn't know just how connected Lena was to her brother's agenda. He only knew that she had always sought his approval, had always looked up to him despite his obvious rejection of her.

She only ever wanted her family, her brother, to love her.

Clark wouldn't be too surprised if Lena had adapted to the situation by following in Lex's footsteps - a last resort at attempting to gain affection and acceptance by the Luthors.

He simply didn't know. Even if Lena hadn't partnered with them, her family's influence was still unpredictable. If they were to find out that the alien, destined to be with her, had arrived on earth... he didn't want to know what would happen.

He would just feel better if Kara had nothing to do with that family.

For now, he brought her to Midvale, to the Danvers' family. To ensure her a good childhood, a loving family. And as he watched Eliza and Jeremiah take her in, he knew this was the best choice to make. At least, at the moment. At least, until he knew for sure what the future held for his cousin.

* * *

To say 13 year old Kara was quite overwhelmed and confused by everything would have been an understatement.

Earth was so much louder, so much more vibrant, just in general so much _more_ than Krypton.

She knew it was because of her enhanced senses. After all, her mother had told her that the Earth's yellow sun would give her special powers.

It was still different to be told about it and to actually experience it herself.

Eliza, loving and caring as she was, noticed Kara's discomfort instantly. Of course, it was to be expected. The poor girl had just lost her entire world and had been thrown into a new one after having slept for 24 years.

As if that wasn’t enough to stomach, she had to find that the one thing she was supposed to do was impossible - sent to Earth to protect her baby cousin, now she was met with an adult man, a superhero. Not to mention her extraordinary powers.

It's why Eliza offered her newest family member to take a shower and put on some fresh clothes first thing when they entered. To give her some time, some space to get accustomed to the new situation.

Kara only nodded, not able to properly speak.

What was supposed to be relaxing turned out to be the opposite quite quickly though. Because when Kara took off her clothes, for the first time on Earth, she almost trashed the room upon the loss of control over her heat vision.

The cause was a coincidental side glance in the mirror.

"What in Rao's name...", she whispered, stepping closer towards her reflection, staring wide-eyed at the place which had caught her attention.

Her fingers traced carefully over the dark lines on her shoulder, her eyes widened to an almost comical extent.

There was writing on her skin which definitely hadn't been there the day she had left Krypton and landed in the phantom zone.

A neat handwriting, at some points still messed up, adorned her shoulder, sitting there on her skin as if it had always belonged there.

Handwriting that, if she had to guess, most likely belonged to a child around the age of ten years - she didn't know where she got the idea from. It just seemed like it. In fact it looked like it could be from a child of a rather sophisticated family. Pretty far educational wise but still messy in some places, as typical for a child.

"And who are you, exactly?", the words read.

Kara frowned. Now that the initial shock had worn off, she grew confused. Intrigued almost.

Then she suddenly remembered something. Something her parents had told her once, something about Earth.

That every human has a soulmate, that there is one thing, one indicator, which is supposed to help them recognize their soulmate. Their soulmate's handwriting, somewhere on their body, displaying the first words they will say to them.

Kara blinked a few times when the memory flashed through her mind.

With dawning realisation, her jaw dropped. _Was it possible...?_

Could it really be that whatever was in control, destiny? fate?, had known she would arrive on Earth? At exactly this time? And had thus given her a soulmate somewhere here on this entirely foreign planet?

She could scarcely believe it. But it had to be the case. What else could it be?

"Oh Rao.", she mumbled. As if she hadn't been overwhelmed enough already...

She shook her head a few times.

First, after showering and getting ready, she'd try to contact Kal-El, or well Clark as he called himself here, and ask whether he knew anything. Whether he had any knowledge about kryptonians getting a human soulmate, whether he himself had one - she vaguely remembered him briefly mentioning a woman while he brought her to the Danvers' house.

* * *

The two had quite different experiences, getting older.

Kara didn't date much. Somehow, the thought alone seemed wrong to her. She knew that many people had romantic relationships before meeting their soulmate - after all, nobody could know when they would meet them and not everyone was willing to risk a life's worth of abstinence. In fact, only the smallest portion of the world actually waited for their soulmate.

Eliza always made sure that her two daughters knew it was okay to have relationships before.

But while Alex was simply not too interested in dating anyone, though she did go on dates at times, Kara still avoided most romantic contact.

It wasn't like she expected her soulmate to do the same. She wouldn't mind if her soulmate had romantic partners before her. She personally just didn't feel like she'd be able to.

Though, it wasn't like Kara never liked somebody.

She had developed a little crush on her childhood friend Kenny Li. And she sincerely regretted never making a move while he was still alive. He had often babbled about how excited he was to one day find his soulmate, had so often shown her the writing on his wrist. And yet, he had been obviously in love with Kara.

It confused her. She didn't understand how one could be so intent, looking forward so much, to meeting their soulmate and still falling in love with someone else.

That was until she herself did.

It started out as dating. Because as she got older and she noticed more and more couples around her, she felt a bit lonely. Cast out. Like she was missing out.

And so she started going on dates - exploring, gaining experience.

She never fell in love though. That was until she met her cousin's best friend James Olsen.

Although, she really knew that for the first time she had actual feelings for someone, she also knew it couldn't lead anywhere. He had already found his soulmate, Lois Lane's sister Lucy.

And although they had a short fling during a time when James and Lucy were on a break (unfortunately soulmates were not excluded from relationship problems), Kara knew deep down it wasn't the right relationship for her.

She knew her heart belonged to someone else. Someone she hadn‘t even met yet.

* * *

Lena on the other hand wasn't as modest.

The long years of being frowned upon and being outcast in her own family had left its mark. She had long stopped feeling worthy of love. She had long stopped hoping for a miracle. She had long stopped believing that her soulmate - an alien, a kryptonian - would be able to even look her in the eye.

The Luthors had made sure of that.

It's why Lena clung to every single person who showed her the slightest bit of affection. And yet, she never stuck to anyone. Or nobody stuck to her.

Middle school boyfriends suddenly stopped talking to her, for no reason at all - it wasn't until years later that she'd find out they had been paid off by her mother.

One night stands stayed just that; one night stands. They were either just looking for a good time or were weirded out by the fact that she taped off her soulmate mark.

Many tried coaxing the truth out of her but she remained closed off.

The shame sitting too deep, the fear clouding her mind.

Sometimes she imagined she could feel every single line of the delicate symbols on her hip, could see them before her inner eye. Sometimes they pained her, giving her a feeling as though the skin beneath the band-aid was on fire.

She wondered whether it was just her imagination or whether a higher force - the same force that had caused her a life full of pain, which had cursed her with that kryptonese writing - protested against her attempts at hiding the mark.

And sometimes, just sometimes, she caught herself tracing these symbols with the tip of her finger. Debating their meaning. Debating her fate.

Moments like these were almost peaceful. If they weren't interrupted each time by a growing feeling of dread.

 _What good was it_ , she would always ask herself. _They're not gonna love me anyways. They will run when they find out who I am._

The first time she, almost, believed that things could turn out for the better was when she met Andrea Rojas.

They became best friends quickly. And during one single night, they were a lot more than that. Though they decided it was best to remain the former.

With Andrea, she felt safe, free, happy - truly happy for the first time since her birth mother had died and she had been brought to the Luthors.

Andrea was a curious girl though. She prodded her often about her soulmate mark in the beginning of their friendship. Especially after figuring out that she kept it hidden. It had been intriguing to her, immensely intriguing.

But she had proven to be a good friend when she dropped the topic for good the moment she saw tears glistening in Lena's eyes. She had quickly changed the subject and never spoken of the soulmate mark again.

Until the day Lena decided to pick it up again. She trusted Andrea. She really did. More than anyone ever before.

And so, for the first time in years, she took off the band-aid in front of someone else.

Andrea had stared at her skin with wide eyes, as she listened to the whispered confession - the heavy truth - and for a moment, Lena doubted whether it was a good idea after all.

But then she had been pulled into a tight hug and she thought, maybe, _just maybe_ , she would be okay.

She met Jack a few years later. He hadn't found his soulmate yet either and they got along well, not just as friends and work partners, but also, as time went on, as a couple. And she liked him, she really did. There were even times where she thought she might love him. But she didn't dare show him the mark on her hip. She couldn't.

The irony is, had she done so, things would have been a lot easier and smoother later on. He wouldn't have been so confused when Lena suddenly froze in her motion one day, as they had dinner. He knew it had to do with the news which were displayed onthe TV.

But he didn't quite know what was so groundbreakingly shocking about another superhero showing up. Of course, it was a tad surprising.

However, Lena looked as though she'd seen a ghost - her pale features robbed of even the faintest trace of color, her eyes widened in a frantic state of panic, the hand holding the fork clearly trembling.

He almost thought she'd suffer cardiac arrest any second.

Lena hadn't been able to hear his worried words though. She had been caught up in a wild race of thoughts and emotions, the outside world nothing more than a blur.

_Was it possible? Was Supergirl her...?_

She didn't dare finish the thought.

She couldn't.

Thinking it would make it too real.

Finally, after several minutes, she had pulled herself together at last. Now purposefully ignoring Jack's glances and words of concern. Instead, looking for a distraction, anything to avert her thoughts from the topic.

Though she attempted to forget it, to push it to the back of her mind, she couldn't help but perk up whenever she heard of the newest superhero. Couldn't help but soak up every article, every photo, every story about the blonde kryptonian who had soon been revealed to be Superman's cousin.

The fact that Supergirl was quite the disaster, causing more problems than she could solve, should have discouraged Lena. But it did the opposite.

She felt strangely drawn to her. In fact, she felt a certain sense of admiration.

She wouldn't admit it but she knew the reason was that she longed to have the kind of courage and strength Supergirl had.

Against all odds, despite all the bad press, through insults and mockery, Supergirl persevered. She continued to try and fight the evils in this world, continued to try and prove herself, continued to try and help people.

Lena knew all too well what it was like to be in the spotlight, to have all eyes on her, to feel their judgement. She knew what it was like when everyone around you was only waiting for you to make a mistake, to be able to point a finger and say you were never worth it.

Many times she thought about giving in, about throwing it all away and shouting out to the world that they were right.

But seeing Supergirl, someone bearing a similar responsibility and weight on her shoulders, given through the 'S' on her chest... Lena felt less alone. She almost felt something like... hope.

And though she deemed it ridiculous, she felt a surge of pride and bliss when she first heard that people of National City started to believe in their superheroine.

Sometimes those emotions were so overwhelming that she played with the idea of packing her bags and going to National City, to meet her.

But in those moments the fear crept in. She wasn't sure what Supergirl would think of her and she was too scared to find out.

As long as she was just a face on a screen, a symbol, Lena was able to keep calm. There were no expectations, no possible let-downs.

Just a tiny way of escape, just an ideology that showed her what was possible.

* * *

"So, you're choosing to redeem the Luthor name over us. Over me."

Jack's words were harsh and piercing cold. But Lena knew him well enough to hear something else in his voice.

He wasn't angry. He was hurt.

And somehow, that was, by far, worse. She'd prefer it if he had just screamed at her for being selfish, for abandoning him, for giving up everything they had built and had wanted to build.

And that's not even the half of it, a little voice whispered in her mind.

Lena bit her lip, a hot clammy feeling taking ahold of her.

She worried that it would only make matters worse. More complicated, more invasive. Yet, the words nagged at her, wanting to be shared, wanting to find relief. Before she knew what was happening, she had opened her mouth.

"There's something else.", Lena said timidly, strengthening her arms' grip around her torso. "Another reason."

"And what?", Jack asked bitterly, apparently not at all happy to hear more.

More reasons why she wanted to leave, not just the city, but him.

Lena swallowed. Her mouth felt dry all of the sudden. She closed her eyes, not daring to look up at the man she had spent the last few years with, the man who had been one of the very few she ever dared to let too close.

"I... I think...", she whispered, a tremble in her voice. _Once it's out, there's no going back._ She took a deep breath, defeated. "I think Supergirl's my soulmate."

Silence.

Probably the worst response, she could have hoped for.

Her eyes remained closed, too terrified to open up, to see Jack's face. Whatever it held for her - Shock? Anger? Mockery?

Finally, after what felt like ages, he spoke. His voice was calm and collected, almost soft. 

"What?"

Lena bit her lip and dared to allow her eyes to flutter open, cautiously looking at Jack.

She felt tears rising. Of all possibilities, she hadn't expected _sympathy_ to appear on Jack's face.

She could've handled anger and shouting or disbelief and malicious laughter.

Then again, she should've known that those weren't realistic outcomes.

He was a good man - that's why she had stayed with him for such a long time.

He wouldn't hurt her on purpose. He was the only one left who hadn't hurt her yet, she reminded herself bitterly. Her mind automatically wandered to Andrea. The sight of her wearing the medallion was still clear inside of her head, but she shook it off, knowing she'd break if she pondered over it for too long.

Lena knew she had to say something. She inhaled deeply, trying to sort out her words, but Jack took over.

"Why didn't you say anything sooner?", he asked softly, leaning against the table. His features were curious, confused. But nothing indicated that he was angry at her for keeping this from him.

Lena felt herself relax a little, yet she still crossed her arms defensively in front of her chest.

"I... I was scared.", she admitted in a whisper, staring at her feet.

"Of what?", was all he said. He sounded patient and calm - exactly what Lena needed to be able to open up.

"I'm not sure.", she admitted quietly, shrugging slightly for emphasis. "I didn't want to let you down. I didn't want to risk everything. Mostly I didn't want to get my hopes up because... how likely is it that she will accept me? Who wants a Luthor for a soulmate?"

She tried making it sound like a lighthearted joke but the quiver in her voice gave her away.

"Lena.", he sighed. "You are so much more than the Luthor name. You're the best, smartest, kindest person I know. And if Supergirl is your soulmate, then she will see that."

"She has every reason not to.", Lena countered, tears still brimming in her eyes, threatening to fall. "My brother and her cousin, they're... enemies. She has more reasons than anyone else to despise and distrust my family... and me."

"Judging you for your family's choices wouldn't be very heroic. I'm pretty sure having no prejudice and being able to recognize real evil is in her job description.", he tried to joke.

But the fear‘s claws had too much of a grip on her for Lena to even manage a small smile.

Jack sighed, realising his attempts at humor met no success, and only patted the space next to him. After a few seconds of hesitation, Lena followed his silent request and came closer to lean against the table's edge next to him.

He put his arm around her shoulders and the gesture was almost enough to break her - her emotions were barely hanging by a thread as it was, too close to bubbling to the surface. 

"Hey, if you're right and Supergirl's your soulmate... then all I can say is that she's a really lucky woman. And if she's just half as smart you are, then she will recognize that. But honestly... It doesn't take much to see your good heart, Lena. She's gonna love you. Soulmate or not, I have complete faith that you two will make a great team, able to make the world a much better place."

Lena pondered on his words for a moment, not knowing whether she could allow herself to be convinced.

"You really think so?", she finally mumbled.

"I do."

Lena swallowed, looking up at him at last.

"And... and what about you? When I'm gone..."

"Don't worry about me.", he said, shaking his head, his lips parting into a gentle smile. "Just you go and become happy. That's all I ever really wanted for you."

Lena could feel an immense wave of relief and consolation wash over her. She found comfort in his words, in his strong belief that everything would turn out fine.

One of her tears finally slipped out of the corner of her eye, rolling down to her chin. "Thank you.", she whispered, a timid smile forming on her face.

"Not for that.", he responded, pulling her a bit closer. "That's what friends are for."

 _Friends_ . It was strange, she had to admit. Hearing him refer to them as friends after two years of a romantic relationship. And yet, it felt more right than _boyfriend and girlfriend_ ever had. Most of all, she was grateful how calmly he adjusted.

No judgement, no jealousy.

If she looked inside herself, Lena knew that his support had been most important to her.

She had already lost too many people to deception and betrayal. She couldn't bear losing more. And it gave her a certain sense of consolation that, if things were to turn out badly in National City after all, she'd have something to come back to, someone who she trusted to pick up her broken pieces.

A friend.

Lena sniffled quietly, brushing away a few stray tears with her thumb and finally dared to rest her head on Jack's shoulder.

Weirdly enough, she felt like they had never really shared such an intimate moment in all their years of knowing each other - physically yes, of course. But emotionally.

Lena wasn't the type of person to open up to anyone, to show weakness in front of someone. She didn't like it even with people she knew and cared for, because there was always something holding her back. Something even she herself couldn‘t name.

She only knew that right now, with the overwhelming perspective of moving to a different city, of taking over LuthorCorp - soon-to-be LCorp - and of possibly meeting her soulmate, she desperately craved this form of intimacy. Platonic intimacy, one may add.

And there was another thing which slowly dawned on her.

Now there really was no turning back anymore.

* * *

"Clark!"

"Yeah?", he exclaimed, turning around when he heard his cousin's voice.

"Alex did some digging.", Kara said hastily.

He could see the excitement and need for action in her eyes - he didn't know whether to be amused or worried when she looked like that.

"There was one passenger who had a seat booked on the venture, who mysteriously didn't show up last-minute. Lena Luthor."

Worried. Definitely worried.

Clark desperately hoped Kara didn't see the fleeting trace of panic travelling over his face at the mention of the name.

"Lex's sister.", he got out.

He could see the image of the youngest Luthor in front of his inner eye. And especially the symbols marking the skin on her hip.

His mind was so occupied all of a sudden that he almost missed Kara starting to walk, so he quickly turned to keep up with her.

His cousin was already rambling again, apparently not having taken notice of his suspicious behavior. 

"But Lex can't be involved in this. He's in prison! Congrats, by the way." 

"Yeah, uh, thanks. Well-", Clark mumbled, clearing his throat.

He had to stay cool about this. He couldn't let Kara see that he had far more concerns than just the possibility of a Luthor wreaking havoc. _If she is behind this and is also Kara's soulmate..._ Clark shuddered at the thought but quickly turned back to the topic of the conversation. "Well, Lex may be in jail but his sister is now running LuthorCorp."

"Yep, and she just moved to National City.", Kara concluded.

As they made their way to LuthorCorp, Clark frantically tried to think of ways in which he could prevent Kara from meeting Lena.

But he could go through with none of them without raising suspicion or making Kara feel like he didn't trust her with such an important task.

He knew his cousin. She wouldn't let go of this so easily. And he didn't want to let her down. He already had a bad conscience for leaving her on the Danvers' doorstep all those years ago and barely keeping in contact with her.

Her happy smile and sparkling eyes of earlier that day, when they had teamed up, danced around his thoughts. She loved working with him. And Clark himself couldn't say he was averted to spending time and fighting crime together either.

So, for better or for worse, he'd have to risk it.

Kara and Lena would meet that day whether he wanted or not.

 _If they really are soulmates, fate would find another way to throw them together anyway_ , he silently accepted the truth with a growing sense of dread.

He didn't have a choice. This was something he couldn't protect Kara from.

Well, here goes nothing, he thought as they approached the building which would soon reveal whether his fears had been reasonable or had been for nothing.

* * *

The hope that it wasn't Kara had always been slim.

How likely was it really that yet another kryptonian came to earth and found a connection to the Luthors?

Very unlikely.

It still didn‘t stop him from freezing, the first time Kara opened her mouth around Lena - the first she addressed her directly - after quite some time of only him interacting with the Luthor.

This was it. The moment which would determine everything.

"Supergirl was there too!"

Lena turned around, an amused expression on her face. As she walked past the two kryptonians, she just said with a chuckle: "And who are you, exactly?"

"I'm, uh, Kara Danvers, I'm not with the DailyPlanet, I'm with CatCo Magazine, uh, sort of.", the blonde replied instantly, without giving it much thought.

For a second, Clark began to wonder. Maybe it wasn't her after all. Maybe he had been worrying for nothing. Maybe-

As if on cue, Kara's facial expression suddenly shifted. Her mouth dropped open, as her eyes glanced down to her shoulder for the fraction of a second - too quick for a human eye to see. But more than enough for Clark.

In her shock, she barely registered Lena's next questioning words about CatCo's intentions, since they weren't exactly a publication for hard-hitting journalism.

"I'm, uh, I'm just tagging along today.", Kara stammered.

"Right.", Lena said, turning to Clark.

Kara zoned out again for another short second and in that time, her eyes locked with her cousin's, a wild mix of emotion clear on her face - confusion, excitement, panic.

 _Well, so much for that_., Clark thought to himself.

Kara had quite clearly just heard the same words leave Lena Luthor's mouth which had been adorning her skin ever since she first arrived on Earth.

Clark could tell that his cousin had trouble focusing on the actual task at hand ever since that moment.

She was too distracted - questioning her life and luck of possibly having a Luthor as soulmate, trying to keep her spiraling emotions in check, racking her brain for a reason why Lena wouldn't have reacted to her words if they were marking her skin. Were they even marking her skin?

Kara's soulmate mark was quite generic after all, a simple question about who she was. Anyone could ask that.

Sure, the exact choice of words might be harder to come by, but coincidences did exist...

But somehow Kara could feel that something bigger was going on here.

And it reflected in her eyes.

At least Clark could tell - whether it was because of his suspicions of her thoughts, the fact that they were family or just his superhuman sight, he didn't know.

However, he could clearly see the determination and wariness fading away, being replaced by a certain kind of shimmer. It was almost like she started seeing the Luthor in a completely new light. She basically clung to every single word.

" [...] I'm just a woman trying to make a name for herself. Do you understand that?"

Kara didn't hesitate long. With a faint, dreamy smile on her lips, she only uttered a soft "Yeah."

There was no more doubt left for Clark. And there was nothing he could do now.

The deed was done.

He wasn't even surprised when the first words Kara said, after stepping out of Lena Luthor's office, were: "You know, I kind of believed her."

* * *

It took a while until Kara lost the dreamy look on her face. She'd been entirely encaptured, enchanted almost, the moment she had made the discovery.

But now, the doubts set in.

_A Luthor and a Super... what did that mean for them? What kind of sick humor did fate have? What would her friends, her family, the world think?_

And then, with an even more crippling clamminess, a dark thought struck her.

_But if she was her soulmate, wouldn't Lena have shown some sort of recognition?_

Sure, Kara herself had also stayed quiet... and she had been too overwhelmed to take a proper look at Lena's initial reaction... but throughout the rest of the interview, Kara hadn't let her eyes stray from her one second, too busy taking in and memorizing each of her features. Lena had seemed just all too calm and collected, entirely focused on convincing her and Clark of her good intentions for LuthorCorp, soon to be LCorp.

This fact dimmed her mood.

It didn't stop her heart from skipping a beat the moment the revelation about the venture attack's target this morning sank in, though.

Lena's life was in danger.

Panic nagged at the back of Kara's mind.

Luthor or not, heck, _soulmate_ or not, Kara couldn't let anything happen to her. That would go against everything she, Clark and that symbol on their chests stood for.

And if she was honest with herself, it was even more than that. Something about that woman was special. Kara wouldn't, (couldn't), allow harm to come to her.

* * *

"You're safe now.", Kara assured her, as soon as she opened the helicopter's door. While she moved to inspect the pilot's condition, she cast the dark haired woman nervous side glances.

She was still unsure whether she should believe that she was her soulmate, but she couldn't deny the gravitation, the attraction, towards her.

It was something she had never felt before and it honestly terrified her.

"What the hell was that?", Lena exclaimed, obviously shaken. She turned her head into Kara's direction and as soon as she met her eyes, something in her expression seemed to shift.

A flash of startlement crossed her face. As if she'd only now realised that it was Supergirl who had retrieved the helicopter from the sky and stood at the open door now.

For a split second, they held eye contact and Kara felt her heart flutter, but quickly tried shutting that down. She averted her eyes, looking instead at the unconscious pilot. Anywhere that wasn't Lena's direction at least.

"Someone tried to kill you.", she stated, trying to sound as professional as she could. Relieved that her voice didn't betray her.

But by avoiding a look at Lena's face, Kara failed to see the disappointment and devastation in her eyes.

* * *

( _Later that day_ )

Lena turned the glass in her hand, evergrowing despair and bitterness filling her heart.

How could she have been so stupid? So stupid to believe that it would actually change something, that she could actually be happy?

Sure, Supergirl had saved her, but she had barely been able to look her in the eyes.

 _Disgusted by the Luthor name_ , Lena thought. _How else could it be?_

She gripped the glass tighter and tighter, her lips curling into a snarl and eyes filling with tears of rage.

Finally, releasing her hold on the glass as she threw it against the wall of her office with a frustrated scream.

The glass shattered, the shards sprawling over the floor.

A sob escaped from her throat and she instantly hated herself for it.

Her hands ran through her hair, desperately, as she squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't have the energy to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks.

Then, suddenly, she heard the door behind her fly open and quickly brushed the back of her hand over her eyes and cheeks.

"Miss Luthor? Are you alright?", Jess' concerned voice asked.

Lena took a few deep breaths before turning around, hoping her wet, red eyes weren't too much of a give away. 

"I'm fine.", she pressed out between clenched teeth.

Jess didn't look very convinced and Lena honestly couldn't blame her. But she still hoped that she'd just drop it.

For a second, it almost seemed like she actually would. She already reached for the door again. Then her gaze found the shattered pieces of glass on the floor and Lena cursed herself internally for acting so impulsively.

She watched, tense, as her secretary glanced back and forth between her and the shards. Then her eyes stayed focused on her, a professional look on her face.

"I'll get something to clean that up.", Jess said.

She waited for Lena's nod of approval, then disappeared out the door.

The CEO released a shaky breath, relief filling her chest. She made a mental note of giving her secretary a small raise - it was the least she could do to make up for the fact that she had to put up with her.

* * *

( _Meanwhile_ )

"But if she is my soulmate, wouldn't she have shown some sort of recognition?", Kara whined.

Alex only listened with one ear. She had heard her little sister ramble on about Lena Luthor for the past forty minutes or so and at some point she had mostly just zoomed out. Kara didn't give her any time to respond anyway. Though Alex slowly started losing her patience.

"[...] She didn't react at all! Maybe it was a coincidence that she said the same thing. I mean-" 

"Maybe her mark is in kryptonese.", Alex interrupted her, at last, casually licking her spoon clean from the ice cream.

It had been more of an intuitive response and wasn't supposed to have a big meaning.

But when her little sister didn't react, she frowned and looked over.

Kara had become basically frozen in the motion of raising her spoon - staring into the empty space in front of her, her mouth slightly agape.

"Kara?", Alex asked, raising her eyebrow.

"You... you could be right.", Kara brought out, dropping her hand. "Maybe it is in kryptonese. In that case, she would think her soulmate is... is Supergirl. She- you know, she did look kinda upset when I rescued her from the helicopter incident. As if she was expecting me to say something. As if she was _waiting_ for something."

"Or maybe you're just wildly speculating now.", Alex said with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe. But maybe not.", Kara replied, her eyes starting to shine, the beginning of a grin forming on her lips.

The blonde kicked the blanket off of herself and jumped to her feet, the ice cream tub abandoned on the couch.

Alex was pretty sure that her sister had lost her mind. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"What do you think? I have to know, Alex! I-", Kara said excitedly.

"But not right now. Kara, it's late. She's not going to be in her office anymore and you can't just barge in on her at her home."

Kara's face fell. "Oh."

Alex raised an eyebrow and watched as Kara's shoulders slumped and she defeatedly returned to her seat on the couch.

"You're right.", she mumbled with a pout.

Under normal circumstances, Alex would probably have chuckled lightly and patted her arm empathetically.

But now, she only cast her little sister a worried side glance.

Alex didn't want to judge someone without knowing them and what from what Kara told her, at least from the part where she had actively listened, she could gather that Lena just wanted to start over. And Alex could tell that Kara already cared a great deal about the younger woman - she had already build that great fantasy in her head and Alex wanted nothing more than for that to be true. She knew how much it meant to her little sister.

However, she still worried. Lena was a Luthor, after all. She grew up in the same house as Lex. It was all too likely that she shared his beliefs on aliens. And Alex wouldn't be able to bear it if Kara's soulmate turned out to be someone who resented her very nature.

Meanwhile, Kara was deep in thought, unable to concentrate properly for the rest of the evening. Unable to concentrate on anything other than plans for visiting Lena the next day, that was.

Even when she laid in bed a few hours later, her mind found no rest. Whenever she closed her eyes, she saw Lena. Her teasingly raised eyebrow, her playful smirk, her enchanting green eyes.

And though she couldn't know for sure until she saw Lena's soulmate mark for herself, she knew that it was her.

She felt it. Or maybe it was just the fact that, deep down, she hoped it was her.

* * *

"I'm so sorry, Miss Luthor, I tried to tell her you have no time but-", Jess frantically apologized, as she ran after Kara who had welcomed herself into the office.

Lena cast the blonde a look and raised her eyebrow for a split second, in surprise as it seemed, but then turned back to her secretary. "It's fine."

Jess appeared confused at her boss's words but nodded and left through the same door.

"I'm, uh, I'm sorry for dropping in on you like that, Miss Luthor. I promise it's important!", Kara exclaimed as she stepped forward.

"It's alright. I just fear I won't have long. The renaming ceremony for the company starts soon.", she explained with a kind smile, as she extended her hand to shake Kara's. "And please. It's Lena."

Kara tried her best to prevent her cheeks from flushing. _Rao, she has a pretty smile... Pull yourself together._

"What can I do for you, Miss Danvers?"

"Well, if I'm calling you Lena...", Kara trailed off with a grin.

"Kara it is.", Lena said, leaning against her desk and offering Kara the chair in front of her with a hand gesture. The blonde considered for a moment, but then declined politely.

"So what brings you here?", Lena asked.

Kara swallowed, clasping her hands together, nervously searching for words. "I, uh- It's a rather... delicate matter, I suppose. I, um... I-"

Lena couldn't help but chuckle curtly at the rambles of the other woman.

Kara grimaced, aware that she was on the verge of making a fool out of herself. She took a deep breath.

Just get done with it, she thought to herself.

"I need you to show me your soulmate mark.", she blurted out, before adding a quick "Please."

Lena's demeanor changed in the matter of a second. Her body tensed, her face seemed to pale. Kara thought she even saw a trance of panic in her green eyes.

"Pardon?", she asked, her voice shaking.

Kara licked her lips, nervously. This response was unexpected, even more defensive than she could possibly have imagined, and that threw her off.

She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again and with new courage, stepped forward. Making sure to hold eye contact. "Your soulmate mark. I would like- I have to see it. Please."

Lena stared at her with an unidentifiable gleam in her eyes. The slight hunch of panic was still clear on her face, but for some reason, and Lena couldn't even say herself why, she reached down to the edge of her blouse and lifted it up.

Her other trembling hand took off one side of the band-aid, her nose twitching when the adhesive ripped at her skin.

All the while she was never able to break the eye contact with Kara's blue eyes. They gave her a strange feeling of security. And for some reason, they seemed trustworthy and somehow... familiar.

She was almost in a trance, unable to stop herself, inwardly screaming at herself why she would possibly show her deepest, best hidden secret to a stranger.

At the same time, Kara glanced down, her heart beating faster when she saw the words on Lena's skin revealed.

That had been a lot easier than her initial reaction would have let on.

Kara swallowed and stepped even closer until she stood only inches away from the younger woman.

Her gaze fixated on her own handwriting, perfectly clear, there for her to see, on the CEO's skin.

Subconsciously, she lifted a hand, letting her fingertips trail over the symbols on Lena's hip. She was too entranced by the words to notice that she left goosebumps on the fair skin wherever her fingers touched her.

"It's true.", Kara whispered, the corners of her lips curling into a smile.

Lena, apparently completely misinterpreting Kara's facial expression, tensed all of a sudden, as if she had, at last, been snapped out of a dream.

Flinching now at her touch, she turned away from the blonde and readjusted the band-aid with her back to Kara.

"You have to go.", Lena said coldly.

Kara's fine hearing senses picked up on the tremble in her voice, which worried her instantly. "Lena-"

"No, I don't need to hear what you're gonna say. No matter which words of mockery you have thought of, I promise you I've heard them before from my family.", Lena snapped, abruptly turning back around. "I don't have the nerve for that right now. It's the last thing I came to National City for. I never even should have showed you this, I don't know why I did-"

"Lena, stop. Please.", Kara said softly, as she noticed that the brunette was talking herself into a fit of hysteria while starting to pace around her office. The blonde took a few steps forward, gently grabbing Lena's wrists, trying to get her to look at her.

Her stomach dropped when she saw the tears glistening in the Luthor's eyes. She was desperately attempting to blink them away, obviously not willing to show weakness in front of someone who was nothing more than a mere stranger.

She tried to get out of Kara's grip but the latter held on - all the while very careful not to hurt the younger woman.

When her attempts at escaping only grew, Kara spoke up again. "Lena, please. I'm not here to mock you. It's- it's the exact opposite, actually."

Lena's movements stopped, only to be replaced by a look of wariness and confusion. Kara decided to let go of her wrists, not wanting to make a threatening impression.

"What... what do you mean?", she asked cautiously.

Kara smiled lightly, heart fluttering at the sole thought. "You're my soulmate."

Lena frowned, now only irritation left in her eyes. "No. You're not."

As a response, Kara lifted her hand to her shoulder, pulling down her shirt, along with the fabric of her suit underneath, just enough to reveal the neat handwriting on her own skin.

_And who are you, exactly?_

"This is exactly what you said to me the day I came in with Clark Kent. And I would bet that this is your handwriting. Isn't it?"

Lena, who had meanwhile crossed her arms, or more so wrapped them around her torso to hug herself, swallowed hardly. She shook her head. "That's not- That's just coincidence. It just looks similar. You've seen my- It's-"

"It's in kryptonese, yes, I know. Which is my first language. And those are the first words I said to you. _Supergirl was there too_." , she repeated her first words to Lena in her own language.

The brunette stared at her. "W-what?"

Kara smiled understandingly. "I know this is probably a lot. It's easier to show you."

With that, she took off her glasses and reached over to place them on Lena's desk. The CEO's eyes followed her every move.

And with one swift motion, Kara ripped open the front of her shirt, revealing her family crest. Lena's jaw dropped slightly and her eyes widened.

"Let's just start over, shall we?", Kara grinned widely. "Hi. My name's Kara Zor-El Danvers, also known as Supergirl. And you're my soulmate."

Kara didn't know what kind of reaction she had expected from the younger woman but it certainly wasn't a quivering lip and watering eyes, followed by a full outburst of tears.

The blonde stood still, dumbfounded for a moment. Then the confusion turned to worry as she dropped her hands, the edges of her shirt falling back over the front of her body.

"Did I... did I say something wrong? Do you not want... What's wrong?", she asked helplessly, stepping forward before holding herself back and lifting up a hand to rub her neck awkwardly.

Lena Luthor didn't strike her as a person who liked having her personal space invaded, especially in a moment like this. Whatever exactly this moment was.

Lena tried to brush away the tears from her cheeks, in a failing attempt to regain her composure, but new ones dropped from her eyes quickly.

She sniffled strongly. "My whole life, I- I was told that I brought shame over my family, that it was wrong, that- that I didn't belong. My mother made sure to hide me away from the world as much as possible. She told me so many times that- that my soulmate, an alien, a kryptonian, w ould never be able to accept me because of who I am, that I started believing it and- and- [...]"

It didn't take a genius to notice that Lena was talking herself into a fit of hysteria. And it was at this moment that Kara also realised that the tough CEO she had met the day before was really just a facade.

After all, deep down, suppressed and hidden away, Lena was still the scared little girl, coming into a stern, neglective family and wanting nothing more than to be loved.

Only to be cast aside and brought down for something she never had any control over.

And Kara's heart broke for her.

Because she knew the feeling of losing everything and being brought into a new family. Only that she herself had been lucky.

The Danvers were more than she ever could have asked for.

Eliza had always been loving and caring.

Alex had been more than a sister, she had been a best friend and a partner... the person she trusted most. Even in the beginning when they didn't get along, she had protected her alien identity and had defended her in front of rude classmates who made fun of her (though she never would have admitted it back then).

Kara couldn't imagine how different it must have been for Lena, how terrible and lonely growing up with the Luthors must have been.

The only person who she had felt welcome with had turned out to be a psychopathic narcissist and murderer.

And what truly angered her was the fact that the Luthors had made Lena believe that she, Kara, would end up being the one to reject her.

It angered her because they decided to shatter Lena's last string of hope for no other reason but to punish her for having Kara as her soulmate.

Most of all it angered her that in the process, they had scared her off from finding her sooner.

After all, Lena had known her soulmate was kryptonian and when Supergirl had first made an appearance, she must have suspected something.

It devastated Kara to realise that while she had been living freely and happily, everyday excited and in hope of meeting her soulmate soon, Lena had been withering away. Living with the knowledge where and who her soulmate was but actively deciding against seeking her out, fearing to be hated by the one person who was supposed to love her. 

Kara simply couldn't hold back anymore. She decided _screw it_ and threw away all kinds of worries about possibly invading the younger woman's personal space and stepped forward, wrapping her into a warm hug.

Lena's hysterical rant died down abruptly and she tensed in her embrace but didn't pull away just yet. Kara saw that as a good sign.

"I'm so sorry for everything you went through.", she whispered. "I wish I could've been there sooner. To protect you. To help you. I... I know we don't really know each other but I do know that these marks... are there for a reason. And I'll be honest, I was conflicted when I first started suspecting you to be my soulmate but... But now, I have no doubt left. And I wouldn't have it any other way. I can see you're a good person. And you are worthy of love. Never think differently."

There was silence between them for a moment. Kara could only hear Lena's elevated heartbeat and hitched breathing. She almost started to fear that she had overstepped. But then something seemed to break in the Luthor.

A whimper left her lips, followed by a heartwrenching sob. The tension fell from her body and instead she almost melted into Kara's embrace, nuzzling into the crook of her neck. Her arms slung around Kara's torso, her hands grasping onto the fabric of the button-up shirt as if her life depended on it.

After the initial shock of this rather unexpected turn of events wore off, a small, soft smile formed on her lips. She felt herself pulling Lena a bit closer, protectively.

While one of her hands began slowly stroking up and down Lena's back in a comforting manner, her other hand was lifted up to the back of her head, disappearing into the dark hair.

She wanted to make sure Lena felt as safe and supported as possible.

Seconds ticked by. They were so engulfed in each other that they didn't hear the office door open.

Only when Jess cleared her throat, did they both look up.

Lena gulped hardly, quickly brushing her hands over her tear-stained cheeks. _Second day in a row... very professional._

Kara had no choice but to stay with her back to the secretary - her shirt was still open and she wouldn't be able to turn around without giving clear sight at the House of El sigil.

And if she started buttoning up her shirt _now_ , the woman could get the completely wrong idea.

Better safe than sorry.

If Jess had any suspicions or felt weirded out, she didn't show it. Her face was a mask of enigma.

"Miss Luthor, the ceremony starts in less than thirty minutes. The driver is waiting outside." 

Lena licked her lips, hoping her voice wouldn't betray her. 

"Th-Thank you.", she croaked out. Jess nodded, glanced at Kara one more time, who smiled awkwardly over her shoulder, and left.

A few seconds of awkward silence followed.

"I, uhm-", Kara began, fidgeting with her fingers. "I probably can't convince you to cancel, right? With your life still on the line... It's not exactly safe."

Lena smiled weakly. "It's too important. I won't have a life if I can't make this company into something positive. All it would be remembered for is Lex's madness."

Kara nodded, understanding her point, but she was still concerned and henceforth knew there was only one thing she could do.

"Well, then all I can do is be there as a watchout.", she said softly. "I don't want to lose you before I even got a chance to know you properly."

Lena's smile grew, being joined by a blush. Kara returned the smile, feeling more at ease.

"I guess, we should get going then. You need to get to your driver. And I have to get-" 

"Why don't you just drive with me?", Lena blurted out. At the sight of Kara's surprised face, she coyly looked at the floor and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I mean... I would like it if you drove with me. If you don't mind."

After a few seconds of processing, Kara finally seemed to register her words and a bright grin formed on her lips. "Of course. I'd like that too."

Lena nodded once. "Good.", she said, relief clear in her voice.

"Let's go.", Kara chirped, marching ahead.

She held open the office door for Lena as well as the car door - much to the confusion of the driver who was usually doing that job.

As they sat next to each other, silence fell upon them. Neither really knew what to say, both too timid to raise their voice when someone else was in the car with them.

Kara nervously fumbled with her fingers, just like she had done earlier, after coming into Lena's office.

A thought repeatedly crossed her mind, but she wasn't sure if she could dare follow through with it. So many factors played into it.

_Would Lena be okay with that? Especially with someone else there, to see them? Was it too soon for something like this?_

She gulped, glancing over at Lena's hands which were folded in her lap - the slight tremble indicated that she was just as clueless at what to do as Kara herself.

The superheroine took a deep breath to encourage herself - what was the worst that could happen?

Lena had already allowed her to hold her in her arms. Holding hands was much less intimate, she figured.

She nodded to herself and then reached over, gently pulling Lena's hands apart and interlaced her fingers with her's.

For a terrible short second, Lena didn't react - she whipped her head around, turning her gaze from the window to her with wide eyes.

Kara could hear her elevated heart rate.

And then, just as earlier that day, the tension dropped from her body and her hand responded by locking her own fingers into Kara's.

Kara looked up at her to see the beginning of a timid smile on Lena's lips as well as slightly flushed cheeks.

She had already averted her eyes again but Kara could still see a certain shimmer in them. They were shining in a way which they hadn't the day before.

Kara recognized it, for she prided herself in the ability to bring that look out in others. 

Hope.

She leaned back in her seat, feeling even more invincible than usual.  
Truly happy.  
And as they sat there, finding peace and comfort in the other's hand, feeling a certain emptiness inside them starting to fill, they both shared the same singular thought.  
_A Luthor and a Super - what were the odds?_


End file.
